Housing starts are among the most influential collections of data in the world of real estate, but a Washington Post blog has laid bare some troubling flaws with the data’s collection. Here are the five most notable inconsistencies with the

Existing-home sales in the South increased 3.5 percent from March to April, according to the latest data from NAR, with a yearly increase of 6.5 percent. Nationally, sales were similarly strong, rising 3.4 percent from March and 10.0 percent from April,

RE/MAX  surveyed 1,022 of its residential experts in its quarterly RE/MAX Market Insights, and it found numerous signs of a market recovery in real estate, from pricing data to sales activity. Here’s what we thought were six important takeaways from

Judicial and nonjudicial states have radically different approaches to foreclosure proceedings, and they may produce different recoveries in the appropriate states. Currently, few analysts argue that a housing recovery is not happening; debate still persists, though, on the particulars –

As the housing market progressively recovers in 2012, more and more analysts are noting the shift in consumer demand from single-family to multifamily units. The latest (and most detailed) example is “The Shifting Nature of U.S. Housing Demand,” a

Freddie Mac yesterday released the latest results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey, and it found what by now has become common – that average fixed mortgage rates hit record lows last week. The 30-year FRM averaged just 3.79

Fannie Mae bolstered its predictions for the U.S. housing market in its report from the latest Economic & Strategic Research Group. Housing, the report stated, showed considerable promise in the first quarter of 2012, growing at a rate that “substantially”

The Federal Housing Administration has taken a big role in the tight-lending environment of the post-boom housing market, but has it been costly? That’s the argument of the Fiscal Times, which, in a piece analyzing the financing methods of

Foreclosure filings, which encompass default notices, scheduled auctions and bank repossessions, were the lowest in April in five years, according to the latest data from RealtyTrac. The 188,780 filings for April were a 5 percent decline from March and a

Inventory levels in the U.S. housing market are down 21 percent from last May, according to the newest statistics from Pro Teck Valuation Services. A real estate valuation firm based in Waltham, Mass., Pro Teck said many of the

Housing starts for privately-owned homes rose by nearly 30 percent year-over-year in April, perhaps the strongest sign yet of a recovery in residential construction. According to the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing

Housing finance was the main feature of a multi-panel discussion at the Realtors Midyear Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo in Washington yesterday. Officially titled “Housing Policy in 2013: Challenges, Opportunities and Solutions,” the symposium featured a who’s who in

Today’s real estate market is challenging and competitive, but this year’s Realtor Magazine “30 Under 30” honorees haven’t let that deter them. The 2012 class is following in the strong entrepreneurial tradition of real estate, creating their own pathways

Builder confidence hit its highest level in five years in the latest National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) from the NAHB. A measure of confidence in the newly built, single-family home market, the HMI gained five

After a few difficult years, the income and business of Realtors grew in 2011, according to the 2012 National Association of Realtors Member Profile. A survey of 58,823 NAR members that yielded 6,245 usable responses, the profile found the median

Green homes have been growing more popular with each passing year, and a new study by McGraw-Hill Construction has discovered exponential growth in the industry. According to its study, officially called “SmartMarket Report: New and Remodeled Green Homes: Transforming